Archive for February, 2012
Improve Your Email Campaign
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Marketing on February 29th, 2012
Getting customers to engage with your email campaign is a big factor in its effectiveness. How do you create a campaign that your customers will read regularly? Content is king, but design is the magic key to the kingdom.
If you’ve been sending plain text emails to your subscribers, you might want to rethink your strategy. HTML emails might sound complicated, but they have advantages that plain text just can’t offer. A recent study shows that HTML transactional emails got a 50% higher click through rate than plain text.
Brand Your Campaign
HTML gives you style control over your email messages so you can design them to reflect your brand’s online identity. You can add images – like your company logo – and use background colors and fonts to match your site design.
Using the same fonts and a layout that’s similar to your website will carry your brand’s online personality through to your email campaign.
Keep ‘Em Reading
You can use HTML design opportunities to your advantage by creating an eye path teasing your customers to read through your entire message. One way to do this is to implement a big leading image and text that’s half on the “fold” – the area of the message that displays before the reader has to scroll down to read more.
Laying out your message around the fold like this engages your readers’ curiosity, enticing them to scroll down through the rest of your message. You can even put an incomplete, suspenseful sentence around that area, making the user click through a link to get the rest of the story or offer.
How do you use custom designs in your campaigns? Have you noticed a difference in engagement and response when switching to HTML?
Has Print Media Fallen Behind for Good?
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Marketing, Real Estate Trends on February 28th, 2012
Though the death of print media was declared in late 2006 it actually made a bit of a comeback in 2010. Next it became well known that the Internet is the place that consumers increasingly spend their media time. Today we know that people are actually spending more time on their mobile phones than they are spending interacting with print media.
According to eMarketer, time spent on mobile devices is now an average of 65 minutes a day, compared to 44 minutes a day for magazines and newspapers. Although both were tied last year, mobile actually grew by 30%.
Are media dollars spent online surpassing those spent on print?
Mashable.com recently proclaimed they would for the first time in 2012. What does this mean for REALTORS®?
The return-on-investment of real estate ads in newspapers and other print media have been second-guessed for quite some time, as multiple studies have shown that the majority of homeowners begin their search online. You can see this trend illustrated in eMarketer’s chart below:
Why exactly does online surpass print media? Today’s consumer is accustomed to the instant gratification of the Internet – information is free and mobile. Now, even those who enjoy newspapers and periodicals can read them on their tablets. But what about real estate? Consumers still seem to be attached to local newspapers.
Of course, knowing your local market is very important, but keeping up with national trends is as well. Agents should take a good look at the tools and new strategies available to them and reevaluate. The same old formula no longer works in this market.
That being said, we believe some print media remains very effective in real estate. The most successful advertising programs we have found offer a customized solution including print, online, and eFlyers in a competitively priced package.
Water Efficiency – Should It Be on the Standard Features List?
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Green on February 23rd, 2012
Many stars are publicly supporting the water crisis, which has reached dire proportions in Africa. But few Americans realize that there is a water crisis here in the United States.
According to the EPA, 36 states will experience water shortages by 2013, even under non-drought conditions. No state will be completely unaffected.
Part of the reason we are running out of water is due to the country’s growth—our population doubled between 1950 and 2000. Our demand for water has also more than tripled, though!
Lifestyle changes, such as dishwashers and washing machines, are to blame. The average person in the U.K. uses 40 gallons of water a day. An average person in China uses 22 gallons.
How much does the average American family use? 400 gallons. In fact, by the time we leave the house in the morning for work we’ve each already used more than 30 gallons by showering, brushing our teeth, making coffee, etc.
How does it affect homebuilders?
They’re in a position to do much more than conserve a little water. Already having made tremendous strides in homes’ energy efficiency, it stands to reason that water efficiency is the next step.
Smart use and conservation of graywater includes shorter plumbing that runs from water heaters to points of use, hands-free fixtures that keep water from continuing to run when it’s not needed, and sprinkler controllers and rain sensors that will keep overwatering to a minimum.
If anything was learned during the move to energy-efficient homes, it’s the fact that change was easier to accomplish if new products offer something better than the minimum requirement. New Watersense labeling requires that products must offer equal or superior performance while using 20 percent less water.
Where do you think water efficiency stands in consumers’ reasons to buy a green home?
The 15 Best Housing Markets For The Next Five Years
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Real Estate Economics, Real Estate Trends on February 22nd, 2012
According to the Business Insider, the double-dip in home prices that began in 2010 continued to drive down 
home prices in the third quarter.
The average price of a U.S. single-family home fell 3.9 percent; however, national home prices are expected to grow at a yearly rate of 3.5 percent between 2011 and 2016.
The article shows how Fiserv’s data helped pick the best housing markets for the next five years. Here’s a partial list:
Ocala, Florida
- Expected annual growth from 2011 – 2016: 8.2 percent
- Home prices in Ocala have tanked 49.1 percent since they peaked in Q3 2006.
- Median home price is $93,000.
Eugene-Springfield, Oregon
- Expected annual growth from 2011 – 2016: 8.2 percent
- Home prices in the Eugene-Springfield metro area have slipped 20.5 percent since their Q2 2007 peak. They have a significantly low median household income.
Panama City-Lynn Haven-Panama City Beach, Florida
- Expected annual growth from 2011 – 2016: 8.2 percent
- Median home price is $138,000, and its home prices are 42.2 percent off their Q1 2006 peak.
Bakersfield-Delano, California
- Expected annual growth from 2011 – 2016: 8.3 percent
- Bakersfield’s home prices have fallen 58.5 percent since they peaked in Q2 2006. The median home price is $125,000.
Mountain Vernon-Anacortes, Washington
- Expected annual growth from 2011 – 2016: 8.3 percent
- Home prices have fallen 23.6 percent in the Mt. Vernon-Anacortes metro area since their peak in Q4 2007.
Sebastian-Vero Beach, Florida
- Expected annual growth from 2011 – 2016: 8.7 percent
- The Sebastian-Vero Beach metro area has a median home price of $137,000, and home prices have declined 53.1 percent since their Q4 2005 peak.
Tucson, Arizona
- Expected growth from 2011 – 2016: 9 percent
- Tucson’s home prices have plummeted 45.1 percent since their peak in Q1 2006. The median price of a Tucson home is $139,000.
To read the rest of the list and find out all the details, go here.
Did you predict the markets mentioned in the article? Do you think they left any out?
Still Think Size Matters?
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Marketing, Social Media on February 21st, 2012
You’re a social media marketer – are you still worried about quantity over quality for your success measurement? Does size matter? Really?
In a recent study, 75% of the respondents really are still worried about size.
Sure, it would look great to be able to tout that your client has 25,000 followers on Twitter or 75,000 Facebook Likes, but how many leads and sales have your efforts led to? With the current options of buying followers and likes so prevalent how can anyone put any stock in numbers, anyway?
A more viable goal would be to drive as many people to a website as possible, having those become actual leads and, eventually, sales.
If your content, products, and services are top notch, it really doesn’t matter what your grand total is. It’s more important to look at the steady rate it is climbing, if people are hiding your messages or unsubscribing, and the quality of the comments and engagement.
What do you focus on when it comes to metrics and measurement? Let us know by commenting below or posting on our Facebook page!
Valentine’s Day is Coming… Are You Courting Your Readers Properly?
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Marketing, Social Media on February 10th, 2012
Remember when you first started dating your special someone? Did you jump in, head first with expectations of what they “owed you” or were you constantly thinking of little things you could do to surprise them and make them smile? A card, an impromptu dinner, little gifts… it felt good to give freely of yourself, didn’t it?
So let’s think about your readers and potential clients. Are you jumping into Social Media with expectations of a set number of followers and fans, comments and shares? Do you wonder why people aren’t just signing up for your newsletter or subscribing to your blog with that kind of attitude?
If you’re treating today’s social networks as an extension of your brochure, print ads, radio spots, or even press releases, you’re not courting your readers. You are probably repelling them.
So What Do You Do?
Think about what your audience really wants from you. Provide it.
Too simple? It really isn’t that complicated. Write your posts intimately to provide real-life tools and tips for those in need. Let them take away value whether or not they buy your product or hire your services.
Give them gifts. Thank them for signing up for your newsletter or liking your Facebook page with a free eBook or Special Report. Even an audio message or interview makes a great (unexpected) gift.
Be present and attentive. Do your readers hear crickets when they do finally offer their opinions and comments, or are you right there with a reply, letting them know that you appreciate and value them?
You may be looking at these actions and thinking, “How will these few things make my pocketbook bigger? This is silly.”
Think again. Your work will always speak for itself but you have to extend an effort to make your readers feel special. That’s what they’ll remember more than the product you created for them. That’s what they’ll tell their friends about. That’s what they’ll share on their Social Networks.
What about you? How do you make your readers and clients feel special?
Smart Land Use
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Green on February 7th, 2012
Smart land use typically talks about choosing an appropriate site for cons
tructing a new building. Choosing plant species native to the area for landscaping and plant nontoxic varieties for households with children or pets are two common solutions. Planting shade trees to help keep homes cool in the summer is another way to incorporate smart land use.
What is GreenScaping?
GreenScaping encompasses a set of landscaping practices that can improve the health and appearance of your lawn and garden while protecting and preserving natural resources.
By simply changing your landscape to a GreenScape, over time you can save time and money and protect the environment.
Benefits include:
- Saving money by eliminating unnecessary water and chemical use
- Saving time by landscaping with plants that require less care
- Reducing yard waste by recycling yard trimmings into free fertilizer and mulch
In nature, soil recycles dead plants into nutrients for new plant growth. Plants are adapted to the water, sun and soil available in their site. Maintaining a wide variety of healthy plants, organisms, beneficial insects and animals can keep most pests and diseases in check without the use of harmful chemicals.
By working with nature, your development can have a great-looking yard that’s easier to care for, cheaper to maintain and healthier for families, pets, wildlife and the environment.
What else do you consider important when it comes to conservation and smart land use? Let us know by commenting below!
5 Social Media ‘No Nos’
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Social Media on February 2nd, 2012
When social media is done right it can add tremendous value and voice to your clients’ marketing plan. Unfortunately, there are still so many businesses that are missing the mark and solely using it as an extension of their brochure or sales pitch.
Here are five big mistakes still being made when businesses do social:
1. Being generic
Your posts need personality and your engagement. This doesn’t mean you should air all your dirty laundry, be negative, or relay a play-by-play narrative of your day’s events. It’s more about being human, and not appearing to be an automated robot churning out posts.
It also means you should avoid sending the same content all the time over all your networks. Think about your audience and the networks they frequent and tailor your message to them. This demonstrates that when you reach out to people, the interaction is directed to them.
2. Not writing for your audience
It’s fun to share things that interest you, but keep in mind, that if you want to attract the attention of prospects and others, you need to share information and updates that you know will be of interest to them. This is one of the major misunderstandings of social media. It’s not about you!
3. Not interacting enough
It’s so important to maintain a good level of engagement with your connections, as well as responding to what people are saying, asking, and commenting on. Showing that you care will demonstrate to others that you take your connections seriously and strengthen your network as a result. So many still treat social media as a broadcast platform. Which brings us to number 4…
4. Using the space for advertising
You will destroy your network in a flash by constantly promoting your services and products. Social media is a platform for building, expanding and maintaining relationships, so directly selling to people will distance you from them. Keep any ‘selling’ to about 10% and the rest to 90%.
5. Not listening
Listening is vital to any relationship, and social media is just that. It is not a one-way system, so be aware of what people in your network and potential network are saying. Tune into their needs, feedback, and struggles. While many companies fear any negative comments about their business, it’s essential to monitor your social voice and address any concerns as they happen so you can circumvent any long-term affects.
What about you? What particularly irritates you about companies that don’t quite get social right? Let us know by commenting below or posting it on our Facebook page!
Syndication Issues in 2012
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Real Estate Trends on February 1st, 2012
According to an article on Inman News, the coming year will see an increased scrutiny of the value of real estate listings syndication. The article discusses a renewed debate around broker control of listings data and its distribution channels and and a rising demand among consumers and real estate professionals for higher-quality data.
In November a subsidiary of HomeServices announced plans to pull listings from Trulia and Realtor.com. This syndication withdrawal may be among the first in a coming wave where brokerages and MLS decide to feed real estate listings only to sites that provide the most value.
The third-party real estate search business model does not reflect the brokerage business; they simply sell advertising in a manner of speaking.
The brokerage has thus far pulled its listings from Trulia, though the companies have devised a workaround that allows Edina agents to submit their own listings to Trulia if they choose. The brokerage is attempting to negotiate a similar workaround with Realtor.com before pulling its listings from that site.
Will listing syndication will be among the most controversial data issues in 2012?
Does deciding no to syndicate force consumers to the actual broker site, or miss the online target that relies on this exposure?
As the value of listing data is further assessed in 2012, multiple listing services may decide that value is worth a price, some experts said.
Taking control
If you don’t know where your listings are, you can’t track them. Rather than distributing their listings “anywhere and everywhere,” brokers are starting to take back more control of where their listings are distributed.
